Feedback

December 20, 2008|By ROBIN MCCORMICK Daily Press

GLOUCESTER - AGAIN. AND AGAIN

* Cynthia, Gloucester: I'm so glad your paper has taken an interest in what's going on in Gloucester. Thank you for Tamara Dietrich and Matt Sabo and your reporting of the situation. We're just flabbergasted. Keep it up and thanks.

* James, Gloucester: Yes! As hard as it to believe, you have hit a new low. Friday's "article" on Gloucester is ... well, simply trash. I am tired of your drivel (and the Daily Press's misdirected crusade on this issue).

* John, Smithfield: I am very disappointed that you included anonymous comments from your Web site in the "What you are saying" sidebar on the front page Thursday. I fail to see how that passed journalistic standards. How are we, the readers, supposed to judge these comments if we don't know anything about the person behind them? We don't know of any possible bias and are unable to judge the source.

Editor: You're right. Anonymous comments are always suspect. But they also can be interesting. Take Feedback, for example. We don't require you to leave your full name.

In this case, we printed three samples from the hundreds that appeared on message boards.

We chose themes that were repeated, and we made sure to represent viewpoints both pro and con.

Personally, I place about the same relative value on them as I do comments I overhear in a grocery's checkout line.

NEED MORE

* Jim: I'm very disappointed in the lack of information about the governor's budget proposal for the next two years. The trivial report by AP was of no value!!!

* Joe, Williamsburg: I really think there have been dramatic improvements in the general format of the paper over the past year. Moving national news to a back section was logical. Whoever made those decisions should get a bonus. However, in my opinion, the DP has been failing miserably in local news, which was your whole purpose in moving Local up front. The DP seems to lack the resources (i.e., investigative reporters) to get real news. And while I am typing, let me add: The one success area that does not cost you money for a reporter is Feedback. And now you have cut that back to save space.

Editor: Even Feedback costs money. (Editors get paid, too.) We didn't adjust the size as a money-saver. We're running most of the Feedback comments we get.

Today's Feedback responses were written by Managing Editor Robin McCormick.